91成人导航

Belo Cipriani 鈥�19 has an uncommon perspective on his life of tragedy and triumph.听

He has experienced the pain of steel-toed boots crashing into his skull.

And the thrill of writing so well that author Amy Tan lauds his work.听

The realization that total blindness will last the rest of his life.听

And the sense of accomplishment for an appointment to advise a governor on disability issues.听

The brutal attack he endured at age 26 left both retinas detached and never will fade from his memory. But he has forgiven his attackers and continues to define his mission and purpose in life.听

He does so, proudly, with an EdD in organizational leadership that he earned through 91成人导航鈥檚 Benerd College in Sacramento. Cipriani鈥檚 doctoral work helped him launch a nonprofit publishing house that focuses on stories written by or depicting people with disabilities.

鈥淓verything I learned in the classroom at 91成人导航 I was able to weave into my business and nonprofit to help me immediately,鈥� Cipriani said. 鈥淒uring my studies, I was able to learn more about building a brand and applying that to my business and community work.听

鈥淭his is not the life that I had envisioned for myself. But it鈥檚 a good life. If I had died at age 26鈥攁nd you can die from a brain hemorrhage鈥攑eople would have said 鈥楬e was a nice person.鈥� If I were to die now, people would say, 鈥楬e is an advocate who fought for people鈥檚 rights.鈥� I did not really gain purpose in life until I became blind. It wasn鈥檛 until I realized that that I was able to forgive.鈥�

From Silicon Valley success to darkness听
Cipriani, now 40, grew up in San Jose and graduated from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont. He went to work in Silicon Valley and was extremely successful鈥攅nough so that he owned property in San Francisco in his mid-20s.

鈥淚 was living the Silicon Valley tech life and making a lot of money,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat is where I seemed to be headed.鈥澨�

Until that terrible night.听

Cipriani, who is gay, was in San Francisco鈥檚 Castro District and ran into a group of people who included friends from his adolescence.听

鈥淭hey were my childhood friends. They were people who were very close to me when I was younger,鈥� Cipriani said. 鈥淲e had just drifted apart. It was nice to reconnect, but it did not go well. They attacked me, beat me, kicking me time after time in the head. Both of my retinas were detached.鈥澨�

Cipriani went through multiple surgeries on each eye鈥攖emporarily regaining some sight, but then the retinas would become detached again. The process was tauntingly agonizing, Cipriani said.听

鈥淭hat was a pivotal moment for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 went from someone who was respected in the high-tech field to being disabled and the general public didn鈥檛 even know how to engage in conversations with me.鈥澨�

The criminal case was dropped against his alleged attackers due to a lack of eyewitness accounts. Cipriani did win a civil suit.听

Redefining his life听
Cipriani said the blind community considers him a 鈥淭otal.鈥澨�

鈥淥nly about 7% of blind people have absolutely no vision,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ny meeting of blind people I go to, I鈥檓 usually the blindest person in the room.鈥澨�

He went through a stretch of depression before finding solace in the written word. Cipriani wrote columns for the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications.听

His first book was published in 2011: 鈥淏lind. A Memoir.鈥� The opening chapters recount the assault in painful鈥攂ut powerful鈥攄etail.听

Amy Tan, author of 鈥淭he Joy Luck Club鈥� wrote of Cipriani鈥檚 book: 鈥淏elo Cipriani鈥檚 account of profound loss is both riveting and suspenseful as we travel with him into a new world.鈥澨�

Ciprani said of the book: 鈥淭he day it was published, I forgave my attackers. I had been spending too much time dwelling on that, and it was taking away from the challenges I felt ready to tackle.鈥澨�

91成人导航 was 鈥榯he right fit for me鈥�
In addition to his writing, Cipriani developed a听. He worked with companies and other clients on issues that impact employees, customers and others with disabilities.听

Cipraini鈥檚 desire to continue his studies, with a doctorate program that would mesh with his societal and business goals, led him to 91成人导航.听

鈥淚 had opportunities to go elsewhere, but they wanted full-time students, which meant I would have had to give up my business,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 enrolled in 91成人导航鈥檚 doctorate program in education with a focus on organizational leadership at the Sacramento Campus. It was the perfect fit for me to be able to work on my doctorate while keeping my business.

鈥淲e met online during the week and for weekend residencies. I liked the hybrid program. The second aspect that appealed to me was the professors. I was very impressed when I interviewed. Over the next couple of years, they elevated my work and way of thinking.鈥澨�

鈥淏elo is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities, yet has so much empathy and care,鈥� said Brett Taylor, program lead for the Social and Educational Entrepreneurship program and assistant professor in Benerd College. He was Cipriani鈥檚 doctoral advisor. 鈥淚n addition, he is an incredible writer. One of the things I wanted to make sure of was that in his academic writing for his dissertation that he did not lose his unique voice.听

鈥淗e wrote about gaps for people with disabilities in small businesses and about how many of those business owners were not even aware that inequalities existed. He did so in a way that prompted understanding and sought solutions. Having Belo as a student was an amazing experience, and I think in some ways it changed the way I teach.鈥澨�

Cipriani successfully defended his dissertation in August 2019 and his degree posted in December 2019.听

Soon after, he accepted a post on the Minnesota Council on Disability. He advises Gov. Tim Walz and state agencies on matters that affect people with disabilities. Cipriani and his husband and business partner James Kirwin鈥攚ho also is blind鈥攔ecently moved to Minnesota. Cipriani鈥檚 guide dog is a black Labrador named Oslo.听

Cipriani鈥檚 business consulting firm听听continues to succeed. His publishing agency听听focuses on stories by and about people with disabilities and already has won awards.听

鈥淚 feel fulfilled, but there is so much left to do in life,鈥� Cipriani said. 鈥淚 feel like I am just getting started.鈥�